USF Has Another Excellent Year for Graduate Outcomes: 98 Percent Placement

A new survey shows 98 percent of University of Sioux Falls graduates from the undergraduate Class of 2017 were either employed or attending graduate or professional school within six months of graduation. In addition, students reported 100% placement rates in 89% of majors.

For masters’ programs, the same study found 99% of graduates secured a position or continued their education within six months of graduation. Masters of Business Administration and Education Specialist programs boasted a 100% placement rate.

“We are proud of the success our graduates have as they launch their careers,” said USF President Brett Bradfield. “We believe that our high-quality, intensely personal, Christ-centered educational experience empowers our graduates to do more and be more, long into their lives and careers. With this year’s tuition reset, we took tangible steps to help even more students pursue their dreams in a more accessible and affordable manner.”

USF’s new online employment database, Purple Briefcase, offers a platform for employers to recruit USF talent. All students and alumni have access to the easy-to-use platform. Employers wanting to get started on the no-cost platform can be directed to asc@usiouxfalls.edu.

“I feel that using the Thomas Kilian Academic Success Center at USF was a big factor in how quickly I was able to obtain a job after college,” said recently employed graduate Emily Stahl. “I was able to feel confident during the interviews, and having everything polished helped me get in the door in the first place.”

USF Career Services partners with faculty, alumni and community partners to help students locate positions, write resumes, prepare for interviews and apply to graduate school.

While at USF students have many opportunities to engage in a variety of professional growth opportunities. In fact over 85% of students do just that, in the form of internships, volunteer experiences, campus-based research, practicums, clinical experiences, field experiences and/or student teaching experiences.

Other highlights of the new report include 77 percent of 2017 grads started their careers in South Dakota and 87 percent of 2017 grads who found employment in South Dakota lived in Sioux Falls. USF grads reported working in 15 states.

“We have found that an increasing percentage of our students choose to start their careers right here in Sioux Falls,” said Jessica Carlson, assistant director of the Thomas Kilian Academic Success Center. “We believe that this is one of the great benefits of being positioned in a city with such an abundance of opportunities.”

Each year USF Career Services staff surveys the USF graduating class to assess their post-graduation activities. The methodology of this survey aligns with best practices that are outlined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.